This invention relates to sewing machines and, more particularly, to a pattern selection arrangement for an electronically controlled multiple pattern sewing machine.
Sewing machines employing sophisticated electronic technology for the storage and subsequent retrieval of stitch pattern information for a multiplicity of patterns have enjoyed great commercial success in recent years. With the advent of intergrated circuitry and single chip microcomputers, great savings in space have been achieved and the number of patterns which may be stored in the sewing machine's memory is virtually unlimited. One factor limiting the number of patterns which may be built into an electronically controlled multiple pattern sewing machine is the space required for the pattern display and selection arrangement. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,913,506 and 4,177,744 disclose sewing machine pattern display and selection arrangements wherein all of the patterns which may be sewn by the sewing machine are at all times displayed to the operator. Unfortunately, an array of two dozen or more selectable patterns may tend to confuse an inexperienced operator. Also, it has been established that the vast majority of sewing time is spent sewing only a small number of basic stitch patterns such as straight stitch and zig zag.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pattern selection and display arrangement for an electronically controlled multiple pattern sewing machine which is easy to use without confusing the operator.
It is another object of this invention to provide such an arrangement wherein the most commonly utilized stitch patterns are most easily selectable.